Company further validates its therapeutic candidates and strengthens intellectual property position of its DJ-1 pharmaceutical chaperone therapeutic programs

San Francisco, July 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

SAN FRANCISCO AND WEST LAFAYETTE - Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: CTBO) on Monday (July 11) announced the signing of an agreement with Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) to advance the company's development work on targeting DJ-1 protein small molecule pharmaceutical chaperone drug candidates for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases.

The agreement gives Cantabio access to intellectual property derived from the joint research done at Purdue University and Cantabio, further strengthening the company's intellectual property position in DJ-1 pharmaceutical chaperones, and provides further confidence in the validity of the therapeutic program for Parkinson's and neurodegenerative diseases in general. These drug candidates have now been validated in relevant cell disease model experiments in three separate laboratories, Purdue University, University of Antioquia and Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, thereby further increasing the company's confidence in taking these forward towards clinical trials.

Pharmaceutical chaperones are small molecules designed to enter cells and serve as molecular scaffolding to prevent or reverse the misfolding and loss of function of proteins. Misfolded proteins are associated with numerous diseases, particularly neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Cantabio has been working on its portfolio of novel pharmaceutical chaperone therapeutic candidates with globally recognized Purdue University neurobiologist Jean-Christophe Rochet, Ph.D., since 2009, with research funding from the Michael J Fox Foundation. To date, the results from these studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of these molecules in protecting brain Parkinson's disease relevant cell disease models. Rochet's laboratory is continuing to collaborate with Cantabio to investigate selected Cantabio drug candidates in primary neuron models of Parkinson's disease.Data from the collaboration will be presented at the 4th World Parkinson Congress in Portland, Oregon Sept. 20-23. "Identifying small molecules that rescue DJ-1 activity could have a significant impact on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases involving DJ-1 dysfunction, including Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease," Rochet said. "Collaborative efforts involving my lab’s expertise in biochemical and cellular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease and drug discovery expertise at Cantabio have led to key findings that set the stage for developing disease-modifying therapies. We look forward to continuing this highly productive collaboration with Cantabio."

Gergely Toth, Ph.D., MBA, CEO of Cantabio Therapeutics, Inc., said, "Our work with Dr. Rochet's laboratory at Purdue University on our DJ-1 protein targeting pharmaceutical chaperone therapeutic candidates has been important for the commencement and progression of this therapeutic program. We believe that results from our collaboration with Dr. Rochet and also laboratories at the Neuroscience Research Group at the University of Antioquia in Colombia as well as our own in-house research provide overwhelming validation that our pharmaceutical chaperone approach targeting the DJ-1 protein has high therapeutic potential for Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. It is a key part of Cantabio's approach to continue building working relationships with academic and industry partners that are at the forefront of science and medicine, and support the development and validation of novel, first-in-class therapeutic candidates toward clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases."

About Cantabio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Cantabio is focused on bringing novel, first-in-class drug candidates into clinical trials and beyond through the discovery and development of innovative pharmacological chaperone and protein delivery based therapeutics, focusing on protein systems implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and oxidative stress. The company is currently engaged in advanced pre-clinical trials on its therapeutic candidates and is focused on developing these towards clinical trials. More information is available at www.cantabio.com.

About Purdue Office of Technology CommercializationThe Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2014 Incubator Network of the Year by the National Business Incubation Association for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at innovation@prf.org

About Purdue UniversityPurdue University is a vast laboratory for discovery. The university is known not only for science, technology, engineering and math programs, but also for its imagination, ingenuity and innovation. It's a place where those who seek an education come to make their ideas real - especially when those transformative discoveries lead to scientific, technological, social, or humanitarian impact.Founded in 1869 in West Lafayette, Indiana, the university serves its state as well as the nation and the world. Academically, Purdue's role as a major research institution is supported by top-ranking disciplines in pharmacy, business, engineering, and agriculture. More than 39,000 students are enrolled. All 50 states and 130 countries are represented in its student population.

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